1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for gaining and maintaining the gaze of a subject of a photo for a camera. More particularly, the invention relates to a housing which is adapted on a first end to engage a plurality of photographic devices such as smartphones, electronic cameras, pads, and the like, to provide a platform to hold an object calculated to obtain the attention and maintain a continual gaze of the subject of a photograph, toward the camera.
2. Prior Art
Photography has been a popular endeavor for professionals and nonprofessionals for decades. However, whether it be a film camera or a digital camera device, a vexing problem continues for professional and amateur photographers alike when it comes to taking portraits and similar photos of inattentive subjects.
Young children have for as long as cameras have been available been a popular subject for photos. However, with infants and young children, their attention span and ability to ascertain the presence and location of the camera capturing their photo is extremely limited. A similar problem occurs with pets such as dogs and cats. Such animals have no concept of a photograph or any need to maintain their gaze toward the camera lens prior to the activation of the shutter.
As a result, photographers taking photos of their pets, are continually frustrated with the resulting photos when the pet has turned their head or looked away. The same frustration is felt by parents and photographers when trying to get that great photo of a small child when the resulting photograph lacks the proper gaze and facial direction of the child.
In the past, photographers have attempted to attract a pet or child's attention by waving, or holding food or a toy or the like in one hand, while waiting for the subject of their photo to turn their head. Such has not worked well and frequently results in the photo being ruined by the movement of the photographer waving the object while trying to hold the camera in the other hand. Further, it is impossibly hard to position the object in line with the lens in most cameras and to hold the object inline with the front of the lens will ruin the shot. To position it behind the camera prevents the user from looking through the viewfinder or at the video display. As digital cameras have gotten smaller and been included in other devices such as smartphones and pad computers, the problem has ensued and gotten worse due to the small size of lenses and their sometimes odd placement on the electronic device.
Additionally, in dealing with pets, research has shown that scent, and a familiar favorite toy and slight movement thereof, and/or a scent thereon which is familiar, works better to attract and hold the attention and gaze of the pet toward the toy.
As a result, there is a continuing and unmet need for a system and method providing users the ability to position a gaze attracting object such as a toy or other object, adjacent and substantially inline with a camera lens, to thereby attract the subject to gaze toward the lens for a photo. Such a device should allow for the employment of objects familiar to the subject of the photo to increase their interest in looking at the object and toward the adjacent lens. Such a device should be configured for easy removable engagement to a plurality of different electronic devices and cameras to allow users to use it on all such devices.
Still further, when dealing with pet photography, such a device should enable the user to use a toy or object with which the pet plays to increase their attention and gaze toward the camera lens. Additionally, such a device might also include the ability to move the object upon the mount or housing to continuously attract the gaze of the subject of interest toward the camera lens and to allow the user to employ both hands for taking a photo.
The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.